Asia, Pakistan, Sosbun Spire

Sosbun Spire. In 1986, Poles led by Janusz Skorek reconnoitered the little known Sosbun valley, west of the Biafo Glacier. This inspired a five-person Italian expedition to visit the region. Led by Paolo Vitali, they established Base Camp at 3800 meters on August 15. Advance Base was on the moraine of the Sosbun Glacier at 4350 meters. They attacked a buttress to the left of the one unsuccessfully attempted by the Poles in 1986. In unstable weather on August 19 and 20, they climbed 350 meters and fixed rope. When the weather cleared, on August 21 and 22, they made the ascent. They bivouacked on a snowfield halfway up the buttress. They climbed 35 pitches of UIAA Grade IV to VI with sections of VI + and A0 and A1. The last pitches were ascended in a blizzard. The summit (5500 meters, 18,045 feet) was reached by Vitali, Adriano Camati, Gian Battista Gianola and Daniele Bosisio. Signorina Sonja Brambati waited for them in Advance Base. They left after only 12 days in the area. (It is not clear to the editor whether they were on the same or a different spire from the one climbed by the Austrians in June.)